Will you please take a little time and join me in wishing this man - A Living National Treasure - a very happy birthday today:
Photo Credit:McCart42's Photostream(flickr)
The greatest teacher ever to coach an American sport turns 97 today. Bill Dwyre from the LA Times wrote up this story that ran yesterday:
The years are adding up as fast as all those NCAA basketball titles he won. John Wooden will turn 97 Sunday, and those who think that makes him blessed have it wrong.
The rest of us are blessed.
We used to ponder the unthinkable. Now we assume immortality and refuse to think otherwise.
It will be a weekend of celebration. The former UCLA basketball coach turned philosopher and humanist will go along to the parties and be the most bemused person there.
He has never quite figured out that the rest of us have figured him out, that we now understand how basketball was merely a front for a career of teaching life and perspective.
Friday night, close friends and many former UCLA players gathered at the home of former player Andy Hill, a member of three of Wooden's 10 NCAA title teams. Sunday will be time for immediate family, a group that has mushroomed with grandchildren and great grandchildren for party of about 40.
Today, we will let a selection of his former students do the public celebration. Their names are familiar because their classroom was Pauley Pavilion. They could be considered Wooden's all-time All-American team, but you'd have to go about 30 deep to truly do that justice.
Read the rest of the story here.The rest of us are blessed.
We used to ponder the unthinkable. Now we assume immortality and refuse to think otherwise.
It will be a weekend of celebration. The former UCLA basketball coach turned philosopher and humanist will go along to the parties and be the most bemused person there.
He has never quite figured out that the rest of us have figured him out, that we now understand how basketball was merely a front for a career of teaching life and perspective.
Friday night, close friends and many former UCLA players gathered at the home of former player Andy Hill, a member of three of Wooden's 10 NCAA title teams. Sunday will be time for immediate family, a group that has mushroomed with grandchildren and great grandchildren for party of about 40.
Today, we will let a selection of his former students do the public celebration. Their names are familiar because their classroom was Pauley Pavilion. They could be considered Wooden's all-time All-American team, but you'd have to go about 30 deep to truly do that justice.
Again will you please join me in wishing a Living Legend who makes all of us blessed to be Bruins, a very happy birthday.
Happy Birthday Coach.
GO BRUINS.